Materials and products are commonly transported as freight on tractor trailers, trucks, and railcars with flatbeds. In addition, it is becoming increasingly more common for retailers to use selectively located distribution centers and tractor trailers to supply adequate inventory to their stores rather than direct shipment to the stores. For example, by interconnecting stores with a network of distribution centers through a computerized retail sales system, inventory can be shipped on an as needed basis while at the same time allowing the retailer to aggregate the purchase and storage of materials and products through the distribution centers. This system enables a retailer to better manage the inventory in each of its retail stores, as opposed to having vendors restocking inventory on an adhoc basis. However, shipment of freight from the distribution centers to the retail stores on an as-needed basis oftentimes results in transporting freight that is stacked unevenly or that has uneven or incongruous shapes.
Freight is typically secured to flatbeds using various conventional means and then covered with a tarpaulin, which protects the freight against debris from the roadway, as well as rain, sleet and other ambient weather conditions. Conventionally, it has been necessary for workers to climb onto the loaded freight in order to position the tarpaulin over the freight. However, due to the height of the loaded freight on the flatbeds, it can be dangerous for workers to climb on top of the freight, as a worker could fall from the flatbed and be injured. This is particularly the case when transporting freight that is stacked unevenly or that has uneven or incongruous shapes, since it can be quite difficult for workers to move about such freight. The process of manually positioning the tarpaulin is time consuming as well.
To minimize the potential risk to workers associated with positioning the tarpaulin on freight, it is generally necessary to construct a tethering system that includes safety lines that extend from a stationary support structure to the workers while the workers are on top of the loaded freight and flatbed. Unfortunately, these tethering systems are expensive to build. In addition, because the tethering systems require a stationary support structure to secure the safety lines, it is necessary to move each flatbed that is to be covered to the tethering system, which is time consuming and increases the expense associated with loading the flatbeds.
Thus, there remains a need for an apparatus and associated method for positioning tarpaulins on trailers, trucks, and railcars with flatbeds in order to protect and secure freight. The apparatus and method should allow the tarpaulins to be efficiently and cost-effectively positioned on the flatbeds. In addition, the apparatus and method should alleviate the worker-safety issues associated with conventional positioning methods.